1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a cable suspended tram with self-leveling car and remote tractor unit used primarily for the movement of people or goods at lower cost and higher speeds than current designs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is advantageous to use, cable structures to traverse rugged or congested terrain. Cable structures have been used to pull the tram in a close loop such as a chairlift or enable the use of an on board tractor drive system.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,198,536 issued to Fredrik Johnsen on Dec. 14, 1938 teaches us one method of ramping on to a support rail from a cableway but fails to show us how a capstan or containment roller would traverse the underside of the support rail.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,353,503 issued to Frank P. Pettit on Nov. 21, 1967 shows us a containment roller but no method of minimizing the vertical acceleration caused by the cantenary curve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,171 issued to Rudolf Baltensperger on Jul. 8, 1980 disclosed a solution to the curvature of a cable supported pathways by using a cable with its structurally efficient curvature in combination with a rigid straight rail. The present invention does not need a costly rail and all the connections associated with it.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,587 issued to Fernand Dalliard on Feb. 10, 1987 disclosed a suspended motorized vehicle on two laterally spaced tracks. The rail tracks are suspended by a cantenary cable structure. The present invention does not require the two costly tracks or the associated connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,765 issued to Gerhard Muller on Jan. 24, 1978 disclosed a suspended motorized vehicle on two laterally spaced tracks. The rail tracks are suspended by a cantenary cable structure. The present invention does not require the two costly tracks or the associated connections.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,523 issued to Clarence A. Dehne on Jan. 15, 1991 discloses a Self-Propelled Trolley and track structure. Clarence does not attempt to address long spans or how a tram would be supported. The present invention does not require the use of a rigid track except at support towers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,668 Issued to Serge Tarassoff on Nov. 14, 1995 discloses an overhead two cable transport. Serge uses traction cables and is not Self-Propelled. Serge does not disclose what would eliminate the vertical acceleration forces associated with high speed travel on a cantenary cableway.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,606,954 issued to Ben Lamoreaux on Aug. 19, 2003 disclosed an Elevated Cableway System. Ben uses a network of cables suspended from a cantenary cable to support a railway with various methods of eliminating deflection at the rail. The present invention will not need such an elaborate array of cables or connectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,425 B2 issued as a Continuation-In-Part describes a self-propelled trolley design to run on an enclose track. The present invention does not use an enclosed track and would not require the added cost of such a rigid structure except at the tower structures.
None of the above patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.